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Shibuya’s Hachiko crossing – icon of modern day Tokyo. Watch any foreign news report that seeks to conjure up the feeling of Tokyo as a buzzing metropolis, and there it will be in the opening scene – as the traffic lights change so the waves of shoppers surge forward in unison.

From the vantage point of a neighbouring 7th floor café the repeated cycle of the crossing of cars, people, cars, people, is memorising.

Down at ground level it’s a sea of heads. Everyone in their own space, going about their own business. Many seem almost oblivious to the crowds around them – a way to cope with the pressure?

And then the little girl in the pink hat appears. She rides high above the tide, unconcerned with avoiding others, excitedly pointing things out to her dad below.

I smile – that’s the way to get about in Shibuya!

The girl in the pink hat – riding high above the crowd

Shibuya’s Hachiko crossing – icon of modern day Tokyo. Watch any foreign news report that seeks to conjure up the feeling of Tokyo as a buzzing metropolis, and there it will be in the opening scene – as the traffic lights change so the waves of shoppers surge forward in unison.

From the vantage point of a neighbouring 7th floor café the repeated cycle of the crossing of cars, people, cars, people, is memorising.

Down at ground level it’s a sea of heads. Everyone in their own space, going about their own business. Many seem almost oblivious to the crowds around them – a way to cope with the pressure?

And then the little girl in the pink hat appears. She rides high above the tide, unconcerned with avoiding others, excitedly pointing things out to her dad below.